Bambino Gesu Hospital opens Italy's first pediatric clinic for myopia

Bambino Gesù has opened Italy's first pediatric clinic dedicated exclusively to the diagnosis and monitoring of myopia. Located in Palidoro, the new service addresses the increasing number of children and adolescents who struggle to see clearly at a distance.

The clinic aims to use available treatments to slow the progression of the condition and reduce the risk of serious eye complications in adulthood. Professor Luca Buzzonetti, head of the ophthalmology unit at Bambino Gesù, stated that intervening during childhood helps protect the vision of future adults.

In Italy, more than two million young people between the ages of 5 and 19 live with myopia. Experts suggest that lifestyle changes, such as increased time spent using smartphones, tablets, and computers alongside less time spent outdoors, contribute to the development and worsening of the disorder. Myopia typically appears between ages 6 and 14 and is often linked to the excessive lengthening of the eyeball.